Education: A Mirror of Society

ANOTHER ASUP STRIKE LOOMS

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The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics have announced intent to paralyze academic activities should the Federal Government of Nigeria fail by Wednesday 25th, to implement agreements it signed with the union more than four years ago.</div>
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Members of the union had in 2013 embark on an indefinite strike action that paralyze academic activities in Federal polytechnics, demanding the Federal government to honour agreements it signed with the union. The union later suspend its almost a year long strike action in 2014 after fresh promises were made by the government to meet the union's demands.</div>
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The union has however, reiterated that none of the items on their list of demands have been satisfied. </div>
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Among the union's demanding are, that Needs Assessment Committee be set up to establish areas of infrastructural interventions in polytechnics, constitution of Governing Councils for polytechnics and establishment of National Polytechnic Commission as its obtainable for universities, improvement in salary structure and an end to the discrimination of polytechnic graduates in the labour market. </div>
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UPDATED</h3>
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The union on Tuesday 25th announced it has reverse its decision to down tools in protest of non implementation of agreement signed with the government, the annoncement was made after a meeting with the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau and House of Representatives Committee Members on Education, according to the union, the outcome of the meeting was fruitful and the union is thus shelving its planned strike actions.</div>
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The union said, it received assurance from the Mr Shekarau that all their demands will be looked into, also the lawmakers promised to expedite action on the union's demand, including passing into law a bill establishing a National Polytechnic Commission.</div>
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The union has advised its members to continue to discharge their lawful duty while its leadership pursue dialogue to resolve outstanding issues with the government.</div>
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ANOTHER ASUP STRIKE LOOMS

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics have announced intent to paralyze academic activities should the Federal Government of Nigeria fa...

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" title="Free book image" width="400" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This post was first published when free e-book platforms were less common. Some of the websites originally listed have since changed, disappeared or adopted paid subscription models. The list has therefore been updated to include active and legal sources of free books.</span></p></blockquote><p>Information may be freely available, but finding reliable books can sometimes be frustrating. As more publishers and authors embrace digital publishing, the cost and accessibility of books have been positively affected.</p><p>More importantly, many publishers, universities and organisations now make books available to the public at no cost.</p><p>Below are some carefully selected websites where books can be read or downloaded legally and free of charge.</p><p>So, get reading and downloading!</p><h2><a href="https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks">Open Textbook Library</a></h2><p>The Open Textbook Library contains free textbooks covering subjects such as accounting, business, computer science, education, law, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences.</p><p>The books are openly licensed, meaning they can be legally read, downloaded and, depending on the licence, adapted with proper acknowledgement.</p><h2><a href="https://openstax.org/">OpenStax</a></h2><p>OpenStax provides free, peer-reviewed textbooks for secondary-school and university-level courses.</p><p>Its collection includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Economics, Business, Psychology and other subjects. The books can be read online or downloaded in digital formats at no cost.</p><h2><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books">NCBI Bookshelf</a></h2><p>NCBI Bookshelf is an online collection of books and documents in medicine, healthcare and the life sciences.</p><p>It contains materials on biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, public health and other biomedical subjects. Most materials can be searched and read online, while available download options depend on the particular publication.</p><h2><a href="https://www.doabooks.org/">Directory of Open Access Books</a></h2><p>The Directory of Open Access Books, commonly known as DOAB, provides access to scholarly, peer-reviewed books made available under open-access licences.</p><p>Its collection covers different academic subjects and languages. Users can search by title, subject, author or publisher and follow the link to the full book.</p><h2><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/">Project Gutenberg</a></h2><p>Project Gutenberg is one of the oldest and largest sources of free electronic books.</p><p>It contains thousands of books, particularly classic works whose copyrights have expired. Books are available in formats such as EPUB, Kindle and plain text, and they can also be read online.</p><p>Readers should still consider the copyright laws applicable in their own countries.</p><h2><a href="https://www.onlineprogrammingbooks.com/">Online Programming Books</a></h2><p>Online Programming Books provides free books and learning materials on programming, computer science, software development, artificial intelligence, web design and computer hardware.</p><p>Users can search by programming language or subject and follow the provided links to books that are legally available online.</p><h2><a href="https://www.planetebook.com/">Planet eBook</a></h2><p>For readers who enjoy classic novels and literature, Planet eBook is a useful option.</p><p>It provides a smaller, carefully prepared collection of classic books in PDF, EPUB and MOBI formats. Since copyright laws differ between countries, users should check whether a particular work is in the public domain where they live.</p><h2><a href="https://www.free-ebooks.net/">Free-eBooks.net</a></h2><p>Free-eBooks.net contains fiction, non-fiction, academic and self-published books.</p><p>A free account allows users to download a limited number of books each month. Unlimited downloads and additional formats require a paid membership, so book choices should be made carefully.</p><h2><a href="https://openlibrary.org/">Open Library</a></h2><p>Open Library allows users to search, read and borrow millions of books online.</p><p>Some public-domain books may be freely read or downloaded, while copyrighted books are generally available for digital borrowing for a limited period. A free account is required for borrowing.</p><h2>Download Responsibly</h2><p>A website offering a book without payment does not automatically mean that it has permission to distribute it.</p><p>Readers should use recognised open-access libraries, public-domain collections, official publishers and legitimate digital-lending services. Authors and publishers deserve acknowledgement and protection for their work.</p><p>This list will be updated as more useful and legal sources become available.</p></div>
</div>

Top Legal Sites to Read and Download Free Books

Editorial note: This post was first published when free e-book platforms were less common. Some of the websites originally listed hav...

The Quest to Find President Jonathan’s PhD Thesis

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This article reflects the questions raised about President Goodluck Jonathan’s doctoral thesis during the 2015 election campaign. Later evidence identified the title and supervisor of the thesis and supported the University of Port Harcourt’s confirmation that he obtained the degree.</span></p></blockquote><p>Among President Goodluck Jonathan’s stated academic qualifications was a PhD in Zoology from the University of Port Harcourt. According to his profile, he also obtained a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Hydrobiology and Fisheries Biology from the same university.</p><p>Questions were, however, raised about his doctoral qualification because critics said they could not locate a copy of his thesis or easily trace academic publications connected to it.</p><p>A doctoral thesis is normally required before the award of a PhD. However, the inability to locate an old thesis online or on a departmental shelf does not necessarily prove that it was never written. Many Nigerian universities had poor record-keeping systems, and a large number of older academic works were never digitised.</p><p>So, did President Jonathan possess a doctoral degree?</p><h2>The Freedom of Information Request</h2><p>The Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law attempted to answer the question by writing to the University of Port Harcourt under the Freedom of Information Act.</p><p>The organisation requested information and documents concerning:</p><ol><li><p>the title of the President’s doctoral thesis;</p></li><li><p>the year he registered as a doctoral candidate;</p></li><li><p>the name of his supervisor or supervisors;</p></li><li><p>the names of his external examiners;</p></li><li><p>the reports of the external examiners;</p></li><li><p>a copy of the thesis; and</p></li><li><p>the date he graduated from the university.</p></li></ol><p>The organisation also stated that it was willing to pay the cost of photocopying and posting the requested documents.</p><p>The request was made during the controversy surrounding the educational qualification of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.</p><p>However, the two cases were not exactly the same. Jonathan’s PhD was not the minimum qualification required to contest for president. The Nigerian Constitution requires a presidential candidate to have been educated to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.</p><p>A false declaration of qualification could raise a separate legal issue, but the mere inability of members of the public to locate a thesis would not, by itself, establish perjury.</p><p>Under the Freedom of Information Act, the university was expected to respond to the request.</p><p>So, the wait began.</p><h2>What Happened Afterwards?</h2><p>The University of Port Harcourt later declined to release the detailed records requested by the organisation. The university had, however, publicly maintained that Jonathan completed the academic requirements for his BSc, MSc and PhD degrees.</p><p>Later in 2015, further evidence emerged from a University of Port Harcourt School of Postgraduate Studies publication titled <em>PhD Theses Abstracts 1983–2008</em>.</p><p>The publication reportedly listed Jonathan’s thesis as:</p><blockquote><p><strong>“Ecology of <em>Parhyale hawaiensis</em> Dana 1853 and Other Intertidal Talitroids (Crustacean Amphipoda) in the Bonny and New Calabar Rivers Estuary.”</strong></p></blockquote><p>The thesis was reported to have been supervised by Dr I. P. Aleleye-Wokoma and to be 215 pages long.</p><p>The University of Port Harcourt’s postgraduate records also identify Goodluck Jonathan as one of its graduates and state that he obtained an MSc in 1985 and a PhD in 1995.</p><p>The later evidence therefore substantially answered the original question. Although a publicly accessible full copy of the thesis was not produced during the controversy, records of its title, abstract, supervisor and length supported the university’s confirmation that Jonathan completed the doctoral programme.</p><h2>Search Description</h2><p>The 2015 search for Goodluck Jonathan’s University of Port Harcourt PhD thesis, the Freedom of Information request and the evidence that later emerged.</p></div>
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The Quest to Find President Jonathan’s PhD Thesis

Editorial note: This article reflects the questions raised about President Goodluck Jonathan’s doctoral thesis during the 2015 election ca...

Buhari’s Certificate Controversy: School Releases Academic Record

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This article reflects the controversy surrounding Muhammadu Buhari’s educational qualification during the campaign for Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election. The document released by his former school was a statement of result, not the original West African School Certificate.</span></p></blockquote><p>The controversy surrounding the eligibility of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), appeared likely to ease following the release of his academic record by his former school.</p><p>The authorities of Government College, Katsina—formerly Provincial Secondary School, Katsina—made copies of Buhari’s statement of result available to journalists on 21 January 2015 at his request.</p><p>The statement appeared to have been extracted from the school’s record of candidates who sat the 1961 West African School Certificate Examination. It showed that Buhari sat the examination alongside several other students. (<a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/175384-breaking-katsina-college-releases-buharis-%E2%80%8Bwasc-results.html">premiumtimesng.com</a>)</p><p>Buhari’s eligibility to contest for the presidency had earlier been questioned by some of his political opponents. He had submitted an affidavit to the Independent National Electoral Commission stating that his academic documents were with the Secretary of the Military Board.</p><p>However, the Nigerian Army later stated that Buhari’s personal file did not contain the original certificate or statement of result, although it contained other records showing that he had attended secondary school. (<a href="https://www.thecable.ng/breaking-buharis-personal-file-not-contain-certificates-says-army/">thecable.ng</a>)</p><p>The document released by Government College, Katsina, supported Buhari’s claim that he attended the school and sat the West African School Certificate Examination. However, because it was a newly issued statement of result rather than the original certificate, the political controversy did not entirely end.</p><p>The academic record and the original report on its release can be viewed through <em>Premium Times</em>.</p><h2>Later Development</h2><p>Muhammadu Buhari eventually contested and won the 2015 presidential election. He served as President of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023.</p><p>In 2018, the West African Examinations Council presented him with an attestation of result. Questions about his educational qualification arose again during the 2019 election, but legal actions seeking his disqualification were unsuccessful. One appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court in September 2019. (<a href="https://punchng.com/supreme-court-dismisses-suit-against-buhari/">punchng.com</a>)</p><p>Buhari died on 13 July 2025, after leaving office two years earlier. (<a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/806895-muhammadu-buhari-former-president-of-nigeria-is-dead.html">premiumtimesng.com</a>)</p></div>
</div>

Buhari’s Certificate Controversy: School Releases Academic Record

Editorial note: This article reflects the controversy surrounding Muhammadu Buhari’s educational qualification during the campaign for Nig...

PDP Manifesto on Education: Promises, Progress and Poor Performance

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><p>A basic litmus test for judging the performance of any government or political party is its achievement in the education sector.</p><p>Education lays the foundation for the development of every other sector of a nation. Achievements in education should, therefore, be among the most important milestones of any government.</p><p>The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) produced the presidents who governed Nigeria continuously from 1999 to 2015. However, by the end of that period, the education sector was still struggling with many of the problems inherited from the era of military rule. The party lost the presidency in the 2015 general election after 16 years in power.</p><p>Education policies were often unstable, strike actions were frequent, and funding remained a major problem. In summary, the education sector did not improve as much as Nigerians had expected after the country returned to democratic government.</p><p>The consequences could be seen across society in rising unemployment, crime, violence and the slow pace of scientific and technological development.</p><p>The PDP’s manifesto on education is reproduced below as a reference for assessing the party’s performance.</p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This is the version of the education and science and technology sections available when this article was originally written. Later editions of the PDP manifesto used revised wording and targets. An INEC-hosted edition similarly promises free and compulsory basic education, improved access, better quality and increased enrolment.</span></p></blockquote><h2>PDP Objectives for Education</h2><p>The manifesto described education as an important social instrument for promoting national unity among Nigeria’s diverse peoples.</p><p>It stated that a PDP government would:</p><ol><li><p>ensure that the educational system was improved;</p></li><li><p>ultimately provide free and functional education at all levels;</p></li><li><p>integrate political and civic education into the formal education system, with emphasis on the Constitution, the state and democratic principles;</p></li><li><p>foster and expand education at all levels and in all fields of knowledge; and</p></li><li><p>encourage private and voluntary organisations to establish schools, subject to compliance with government policies.</p></li></ol><h2>Proposed Strategies for Education</h2><p>The PDP promised to pursue the following strategies:</p><ol><li><p>Promote pre-primary education by encouraging the establishment of private nursery schools so that every Nigerian child would have an opportunity to begin education at the nursery level.</p></li><li><p>Provide:</p><ul><li><p>free and compulsory primary education;</p></li><li><p>free and compulsory junior secondary education; and</p></li><li><p>free and qualitative senior secondary education.</p></li></ul></li><li><p>Expand the Unity School system as a model and an instrument for promoting national unity.</p></li><li><p>Encourage greater involvement of private individuals and organisations in the delivery of educational services, subject to government regulation.</p></li><li><p>Establish adult and continuing education centres to promote mass literacy among Nigerians.</p></li><li><p>Provide technical educational institutions with well-equipped workshops and adequate numbers of properly trained teachers.</p></li><li><p>Encourage the establishment of private universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, subject to government regulation.</p></li><li><p>Provide adequate funding for university education.</p></li><li><p>Improve the social and economic status of teachers and other education personnel through better conditions of service.</p></li><li><p>Provide free university education for students studying science, technology and medicine.</p></li><li><p>Provide Federal Government scholarships based on merit.</p></li><li><p>Provide libraries, laboratories and workshop facilities in schools and colleges.</p></li><li><p>Encourage universities to establish and operate consultancy units.</p></li><li><p>Guarantee academic freedom within the university system.</p></li><li><p>Encourage entrepreneurs to provide affordable hostel accommodation for university students.</p></li><li><p>Train more teachers and enforce the requirement that the Nigeria Certificate in Education should be the minimum qualification for primary school teachers.</p></li><li><p>Provide special educational facilities for the children of nomads.</p></li><li><p>Provide adequate facilities and trained personnel for learners with disabilities.</p></li></ol><h2>PDP Objectives for Science and Technology</h2><p>The manifesto also promised to:</p><ol><li><p>provide an adequate industrial base for rapid technological development and promote scientific and technological literacy among Nigerians;</p></li><li><p>encourage the acquisition, adoption, use and appreciation of scientific and technological inventions and methods in everyday life; and</p></li><li><p>promote appropriate technologies required for sustainable development.</p></li></ol><h2>Proposed Science and Technology Strategies</h2><p>The party promised to:</p><ol><li><p>provide facilities and create an environment suitable for promoting scientific and technological literacy;</p></li><li><p>encourage scientific and technological research institutions to develop simple tools and industrial equipment from locally available raw materials;</p></li><li><p>promote an enquiring and inventive spirit at every level of the education system;</p></li><li><p>encourage the development of a scientific and technological culture among Nigerians; and</p></li><li><p>accelerate the completion of iron, steel, gas and petrochemical plants under construction in the country.</p></li></ol><h2>How Well Were the Promises Fulfilled?</h2><p>The manifesto contained many attractive promises. However, a manifesto should not be judged by the beauty of its language. It should be judged by the extent to which its promises are translated into measurable improvements.</p><p>A fair assessment must also recognise that the Federal Government does not control every aspect of education. State and local governments, school proprietors, regulatory agencies, teachers, parents and communities all have important responsibilities.</p><p>Nevertheless, the party that controlled the Federal Government for 16 years had sufficient time and authority to provide national direction, strengthen institutions and demonstrate what was possible.</p><h2>Expansion of Access to Education</h2><p>The PDP administrations recorded some achievements in expanding access.</p><p>The Universal Basic Education Programme was introduced in 1999 to provide greater access to basic education. The Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act was subsequently enacted in 2004.</p><p>The National Open University of Nigeria was revived in 2002, giving more people an opportunity to obtain university education through open and distance learning.</p><p>There was also a considerable expansion in the number of public and private universities. By May 2015, the National Universities Commission reported that Nigeria had 61 approved private universities. Several new federal universities were also established during the later years of the PDP administration.</p><p>The establishment of more institutions created additional admission opportunities. It also partly fulfilled the manifesto’s promise to encourage private participation in education.</p><p>However, an increase in the number of schools and universities did not automatically produce an equal improvement in quality.</p><p>Many institutions struggled with inadequate facilities, overcrowded classrooms, shortages of qualified personnel and limited research funding. Access expanded, but the quality and affordability of the education available remained uneven.</p><h2>Free and Functional Education</h2><p>The promise to provide free and functional education at all levels was not fully achieved.</p><p>Although basic education was declared free and compulsory, many families continued to pay for uniforms, books, transportation, examinations, levies and other school-related expenses.</p><p>The existence of a policy did not always mean that it was properly implemented. Millions of children remained outside formal schooling, particularly in poorer communities and parts of northern Nigeria.</p><p>The promise of free university education for all students of science, technology and medicine was also not fulfilled as a nationwide policy.</p><p>Tuition might have remained officially low or absent in some federal institutions, but students and their families still paid various charges and carried much of the cost of accommodation, books, transport and daily living.</p><h2>Funding and Industrial Disputes</h2><p>Adequate funding was one of the central promises in the manifesto, but it remained one of the most persistent sources of disagreement between the government and education workers.</p><p>Public universities experienced repeated strike actions over funding, university autonomy, staff welfare and the implementation of agreements between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.</p><p>Industrial action did not begin under the PDP, but it continued repeatedly during the party’s years in government. Research covering the democratic period shows that university strikes consumed a substantial number of academic days and repeatedly disrupted students’ programmes.</p><p>The long university strike of 2013 was a particularly strong indication that the relationship between the government and university workers had not improved sufficiently.</p><p>The restructuring of the Education Trust Fund into the Tertiary Education Trust Fund under the TETFund Act of 2011 was an important intervention. TETFund provided supplementary funding for infrastructure, research, staff development and libraries in public tertiary institutions.</p><p>However, supplementary intervention could not completely replace proper and consistent government funding.</p><h2>Teachers and Learning Conditions</h2><p>The manifesto promised to improve the social and economic position of education personnel and to train more teachers.</p><p>Some efforts were made through teacher-training programmes and the enforcement of the Nigeria Certificate in Education as the minimum teaching qualification at the basic-education level.</p><p>Nevertheless, many teachers continued to work in difficult conditions. Problems included irregular salaries in some states, limited opportunities for professional development, overcrowded classrooms and shortages of teaching materials.</p><p>The promise to provide libraries, laboratories and workshops in all schools and colleges was far from being achieved. Many public schools lacked basic facilities, while some institutions had laboratories that were poorly equipped or no longer functional.</p><h2>Science and Technology</h2><p>The manifesto recognised that national development required scientific literacy, research, innovation and industrial growth.</p><p>However, Nigeria’s scientific and technological development remained slow. Universities and research institutes produced valuable studies, but weak links between research, industry and government limited the practical application of many findings.</p><p>Major industrial projects, including the steel sector, did not develop as expected. Nigeria continued to depend heavily on imported equipment, manufactured goods and technologies.</p><p>The country produced many graduates in science and engineering, but it did not create enough research opportunities, industries or jobs in which their skills could be fully applied.</p><h2>Overall Assessment</h2><p>It would not be entirely correct to say that nothing was achieved during the PDP’s 16 years in government.</p><p>The period witnessed:</p><ul><li><p>the introduction and legal establishment of Universal Basic Education;</p></li><li><p>the revival of the National Open University of Nigeria;</p></li><li><p>the expansion of federal and private universities;</p></li><li><p>the establishment of TETFund in its present form;</p></li><li><p>increased private participation in education; and</p></li><li><p>various scholarship, teacher-training and school-development programmes.</p></li></ul><p>However, these achievements fell far below the broad promises contained in the manifesto.</p><p>The party promised free and functional education at all levels, adequate university funding, improved conditions for teachers, properly equipped schools, affordable student accommodation, mass literacy and rapid scientific and technological development.</p><p>By 2015, many of these promises had either not been fulfilled or had been implemented only partially.</p><p>The appropriate judgement may therefore not be that the PDP achieved nothing, but that its performance did not match either the length of time it spent in power or the ambition of its manifesto.</p><p>In that sense, the verdict remained: <strong>some progress, but still far too poor.</strong></p><h2>Update: July 2026</h2><p>This article was originally written while the PDP still controlled the Federal Government. The party lost the presidency in 2015 and has remained outside the federal executive since then.</p><p>The update is important because the education problems discussed in the article did not disappear with the change of political party. Funding disputes, strikes, inadequate school facilities, teacher shortages, poor learning outcomes and the large number of out-of-school children have continued under later governments.</p><p>Recent World Bank estimates indicate that approximately 17.1 million Nigerian children aged 5–14 are out of school. The Bank also estimates that although a Nigerian child may expect to complete about 10.2 years of schooling by age 18, the amount actually learnt is equivalent to only about five years of effective education.</p><p>These continuing problems do not remove the PDP’s responsibility for its record between 1999 and 2015. They show, however, that Nigeria’s education crisis is deeper than the failure of one political party.</p><p>As the next election cycle approach, every party seeking power should be required to present clear, measurable and properly funded education plans. Citizens should also compare those promises with actual results rather than allowing manifestos to be forgotten immediately after elections.</p><p>Education should not be treated merely as a campaign promise. It should remain one of the main standards by which every government is judged.</p></div>
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PDP Manifesto on Education: Promises, Progress and Poor Performance

A basic litmus test for judging the performance of any government or political party is its achievement in the education sector. Education ...

APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><h1>APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power</h1><p class="isSelectedEnd">Nigerians were preparing for another general election, originally scheduled for 14 February 2015, to elect new leaders into various offices, including the presidency.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were the two major contenders. One of them was expected to form the next government. Therefore, their plans and objectives for education were important because they would provide standards by which the success or failure of the next government could be measured after four years in office.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC manifesto on education is reproduced here for the record. At the time, the party appeared to have a strong chance of forming the next government because of its growing popular appeal and promises to offer Nigerians an alternative to the PDP government.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Should the party eventually form the next government, these were its plans for education. The party was right when it stated that:</p><blockquote><p class="isSelectedEnd">“Our future depends on quality education.”</p></blockquote><blockquote><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> The presidential election initially scheduled for 14 February 2015 was later postponed because of security concerns. It was eventually held on 28 March 2015. </span></p></blockquote><h2>Introduction</h2><blockquote><p class="isSelectedEnd">We must invest in quality teachers, schools and colleges to equip current and future generations with the knowledge and skills they need to gain employment, live productive lives and contribute to the welfare of their communities. Our future depends on it.</p></blockquote><h2>APC’s Roadmap for Free, Relevant and Quality Education</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC promised to:</p><ul data-spread="true"><li>make the right of every Nigerian child to receive free, relevant and quality education a reality through free and comprehensive primary and secondary education;</li><li>provide free tertiary education for students pursuing courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics;</li><li>provide free tertiary education for students studying education and pay them stipends before their employment as teachers;</li><li>create incentives and give special attention to the education of girls;</li><li>ensure that every child attending primary school is properly nourished and ready to learn by providing one free meal each day;</li><li>invest in properly equipping and staffing teacher-training colleges;</li><li>provide financial and career-progression incentives to attract and retain competent teachers;</li><li>restructure the curriculum from primary to tertiary level to ensure that students acquire the skills required for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation;</li><li>prepare young adults for future employment by expanding the emphasis on science and technology in colleges and universities; and</li><li>improve access to technical and vocational education so that Nigerians could acquire skills for employment in different fields.</li></ul><p class="isSelectedEnd">These were ambitious promises. They touched on some of the most serious problems facing Nigerian education: access, quality, teacher development, school feeding, girls’ education, unemployment and the weak connection between schooling and the needs of the labour market.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">At the time, the manifesto presented the APC as a party that understood that education was not merely about increasing the number of schools. It was also about ensuring that students received useful knowledge, practical skills and proper preparation for employment and national development. </p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The important question was whether the party would fulfil these promises if Nigerians gave it the opportunity to govern.</p><h2>Update: July 2026</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC eventually won the 2015 presidential election. Muhammadu Buhari became president and completed two terms in office between 2015 and 2023. Another APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, won the 2023 presidential election and has continued the party’s control of the Federal Government. </p><p class="isSelectedEnd">More than eleven years after the APC first came to power, it is now possible to compare the promises above with what the party achieved.</p><h2>Free Primary and Secondary Education</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise to make free and comprehensive primary and secondary education a reality for every Nigerian child has not been fully achieved.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Nigeria already had a policy of free and compulsory basic education before the APC took office. However, implementation remained inconsistent across states.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Many parents continued to pay for uniforms, books, transportation, examinations, learning materials and different school levies. In some communities, the absence of nearby schools, insecurity, poverty and shortages of teachers prevented children from benefiting from the policy.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The continued presence of millions of out-of-school children is perhaps the clearest indication that universal access has not been achieved. The Federal Ministry of Education’s current reform programme estimates that approximately 15 million Nigerian children remain outside school, while UBEC officials have placed the figure at about 17 million.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Therefore, while free basic education remains an official policy, it has not yet become a practical reality for every Nigerian child.</p><h2>The Free Meal-a-Day Programme</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The provision of one free meal each day was one of the clearest promises in the manifesto, and it was one of the promises that the APC government attempted to implement.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme was introduced as part of the government’s Social Investment Programme in 2016.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">By 2018, the Federal Government reported that the programme was providing meals to more than 8.2 million pupils in approximately 45,394 public primary schools across 24 states. It also reportedly engaged more than 80,000 cooks.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The programme was important because it aimed to improve children’s nutrition, increase school attendance and support local farmers and food suppliers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">However, it did not cover every child attending primary school as the manifesto had promised. Its implementation also differed across states, and concerns were raised at different times about funding, continuity, monitoring, the quality of meals and the accuracy of beneficiary figures.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The school-feeding programme can therefore be regarded as a major attempt to fulfil the manifesto, but not as the complete achievement of the original promise.</p><h2>Free Tertiary Education for STEM Students</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC promised free tertiary education for students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">This was not implemented as a nationwide programme.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Federal universities continued to be officially described as tuition-free, but students still paid registration charges and other institutional fees. They also had to meet the costs of accommodation, transportation, books, feeding and other needs.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise was not simply that federal universities would remain tuition-free. It specifically offered free tertiary education to students pursuing STEM courses. No comprehensive national programme was established to provide this benefit to every qualified STEM student.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The later introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has provided financial support to students, but a loan is different from free education. Beneficiaries are expected to repay the assistance according to the conditions of the programme.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The student-loan scheme may improve access to higher education, but it should not be presented as the fulfilment of the 2015 promise of free tertiary education.</p><h2>Education Students and Teacher Stipends</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The party also promised free tertiary education for students studying education, together with stipends before their employment as teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">This promise was not implemented as a general national policy.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">There were teacher-training programmes, recruitment exercises and different forms of support at federal and state levels. However, students studying education did not generally receive free tertiary education and regular stipends simply because they were preparing to become teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Nigeria has continued to struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers, especially in rural communities and subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, technical education and special education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Recent programmes such as the Federal Ministry of Education’s teacher-training platforms may contribute to professional development, but they do not amount to the original promise of free education and stipends for all education students.</p><h2>Education of Girls</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC manifesto promised to create incentives and give special attention to girls’ education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">One important intervention was the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, introduced by the Federal Government in partnership with the World Bank in 2020.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The programme was designed to improve secondary-school opportunities for girls, particularly in states with high numbers of out-of-school girls and low transition rates into secondary education. It included school construction and rehabilitation, water and sanitation facilities, digital skills, life skills and measures intended to reduce the social barriers preventing girls from remaining in school.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">In 2023, the programme was expanded with the aim of reaching approximately 8.6 million girls.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">This represents meaningful action towards the promise of giving special attention to girls’ education. However, challenges such as poverty, early marriage, insecurity, inadequate facilities and cultural resistance continue to prevent many girls from completing their education.</p><h2>Curriculum Reform</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC promised to restructure the curriculum from primary to tertiary level so that students could acquire skills for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">There have been several curriculum discussions and reforms since 2015. The government has also introduced policies aimed at increasing digital literacy, vocational skills and the connection between education and employment.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">In 2025, the Federal Government announced another major review of the national curriculum. The stated objectives included reducing subject overload, promoting skills development and aligning education more closely with national and global needs.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">However, changing a curriculum document is only the beginning. Successful curriculum reform also requires trained teachers, appropriate textbooks, well-equipped schools, laboratories, workshops, electricity, internet access and proper supervision.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Without these, a good curriculum may exist on paper without producing meaningful changes in the classroom.</p><h2>Technical and Vocational Education</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">There were also attempts to improve technical and vocational education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills Project was approved in 2020 to strengthen Nigeria’s skills-development system and improve training for employment in both the formal and informal sectors.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">More recent federal programmes have similarly placed greater emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a means of preparing young Nigerians for employment and entrepreneurship.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">These initiatives reflect the original manifesto’s concern about vocational skills. Nevertheless, Nigeria continues to produce many graduates who lack practical experience or struggle to find employment.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Technical colleges also remain poorly funded or unattractive to many students and parents. Until vocational education receives the same respect, investment and public recognition as university education, its potential will remain limited.</p><h2>Quality Teachers and Teacher-Training Colleges</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise to invest in teacher-training colleges and provide incentives for qualified teachers was important because no education system can perform better than the quality of its teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Some teacher-development programmes have been introduced, but the conditions of many teachers have not improved sufficiently.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Teachers in some states have experienced delayed salaries, poor working conditions, overcrowded classrooms and limited opportunities for professional development. Many schools, especially in rural areas, continue to experience shortages of qualified teachers.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The promise of financial and career incentives capable of attracting and retaining the best teachers has therefore been only partly addressed.</p><h2>Has the APC Fulfilled Its Education Manifesto?</h2><p class="isSelectedEnd">It would be unfair to say that nothing was done.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The APC governments introduced or supported programmes in school feeding, girls’ education, student loans, vocational training, curriculum reform, digital learning and teacher development.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">Some of these interventions have benefited millions of Nigerians.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">However, the main promises were much broader than the programmes eventually implemented.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The manifesto promised:</p><ul data-spread="false"><li>free and comprehensive primary and secondary education for every Nigerian child;</li><li>free tertiary education for STEM students;</li><li>free education and stipends for students studying education;</li><li>a free daily meal for every primary-school child;</li><li>properly equipped teacher-training colleges;</li><li>strong incentives to attract and retain good teachers; and</li><li>an education system that would prepare students for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.</li></ul><p class="isSelectedEnd">By July 2026, most of these promises had either been partly fulfilled, implemented on a limited scale or not fulfilled at all.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The party deserves credit for programmes such as school feeding, AGILE, vocational-skills initiatives and student loans. However, programmes should not be confused with complete results.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The continued existence of millions of out-of-school children, poorly equipped schools, teacher shortages, graduate unemployment and weak learning outcomes shows that Nigeria is still far from the free, relevant and quality education promised in 2015.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The manifesto was correct in stating that Nigeria’s future depends on quality education.</p><p class="isSelectedEnd">The question, more than eleven years later, is whether the political commitment and investment have been equal to the importance of that statement.</p><p>Manifestos should not be forgotten after elections. They should be preserved, revisited and used to hold governments accountable for the promises through which they obtained the support of the people.</p></div>
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APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power

APC Manifesto on Education: Promises Before Power Nigerians were preparing for another general election, originally scheduled for 14 Februa...

Akomst Education